Farmers across Thanjavur district in Tamil Nadu are confronting the threat of severe crop losses as an irregular and inadequate three-phase power supply has crippled irrigation for standing summer paddy (Vasantha paddy) crops, causing fields to crack and crops to wilt under the intense summer heat. The crisis, reported on 10 June, has pushed hundreds of small and marginal farmers — many of whom borrowed money to finance cultivation — to the edge of financial ruin.

Background: Why Farmers Turned to Groundwater

The Cauvery delta region, of which Thanjavur is the heartland, traditionally supports three paddy seasons: Kuruvai, Samba, and Thaladi. Each year, water from Mettur Dam is released around 12 June to kick off Kuruvai cultivation. However, reservoir storage levels this year have remained below the required threshold, and the Tamil Nadu government has not yet announced the customary release date.

Facing uncertainty over the dam opening, a large number of farmers chose to cultivate Vasantha paddy — the summer crop — using groundwater drawn through borewells and electric pump sets. Many invested up to ₹30,000 per acre on seeds, fertilisers, labour, and other inputs, banking on a steady power supply to sustain irrigation through the critical growth stage.

The Power Crisis and Its Impact on Fields

Farmers allege that the supply of three-phase electricity — indispensable for running agricultural motors — has been erratic and far below what is needed. As irrigation faltered at a pivotal point in the crop cycle, standing paddy has begun to show visible signs of stress and wilting across multiple villages.

More than 20 villages near Thanjavur, including Viluthiyur, Irumbuthalai, Manakkudi, and Muniyur, are reportedly facing severe difficulties. Agricultural fields have started to develop deep cracks under the summer heat, and large stretches of farmland are going without adequate water.

Diesel as a Costly Fallback

In several villages, farmers have been compelled to switch to diesel-powered pump sets to draw groundwater, significantly inflating their cultivation costs. Many small and marginal farmers say they simply cannot absorb the additional diesel expenditure, leaving their crops exposed to moisture stress. This is not a viable long-term substitute — diesel pumping is both costlier and less efficient than electric motor sets designed for sustained agricultural use.

Farmers' Appeal to the Government

Farmers have urgently appealed to the Tamil Nadu government and state electricity authorities to restore an uninterrupted three-phase power supply for agricultural operations without delay. Many had taken loans to finance the current season and now fear they will be unable to recover their investments if the crop fails. They stress that timely intervention is the only way to prevent widespread damage to the standing paddy and protect thousands of farming households from severe financial hardship.

With the Mettur Dam release still uncertain and groundwater irrigation under strain, the fate of this season's Vasantha paddy crop now hinges on how quickly the state acts on the power supply front.